3 reasons why Magomed Ankalaev is kryptonite for Alex Pereira - and 2 reasons why he can't beat 'Poatan'

If a recent interview with famed MMA manager Ali Abdelaziz is to be believed, the UFC's next light heavyweight title fight is set. Champ Alex Pereira will finally defend against No.1 contender Magomed Ankalaev at some point in 2025.

Many fans have long considered Magomed Ankalaev to be kryptonite for Alex Pereira, but is this really the case? After all, 'Poatan' has looked unstoppable since moving to 205 pounds, defending his title three times in 2024 alone. Essentially, there are arguments for both sides.

Here, then, are three reasons why Magomed Ankalaev could be kryptonite for Alex Pereira - and two reasons why the Dagestani cannot beat 'Poatan'.

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#3. Magomed Ankalaev is well used to fighting five rounds

One advantage that Magomed Ankalaev may have over Alex Pereira in a potential title fight is his experience in fighting lengthier bouts.

Since arriving in the UFC in 2018, Ankalaev has gone the distance in six of his 14 fights, with two of them being five rounders.

While that does suggest his reputation as a decision machine of sorts is false, it's also worth noting that he's won five of those six bouts handily and was unlucky to be given a draw in the other.

Essentially, it's rare that we've ever seen Ankalaev tire out or slow down. Perhaps more importantly, while it hasn't won him fans at times, his style means that he knows exactly how to claim tight rounds, too.

Alex Pereira, in contrast, has only been the distance in two of his ten octagon bouts. Sure, he did impress in finishing both Khalil Rountree and Israel Adesanya in the later rounds, but against Jan Blachowicz - who notably looked to clinch with him - he did appear to tire.

If Ankalaev can drag 'Poatan' into deeper waters, then, and ensure that the fight goes longer, he could definitely outlast him. This should become even more of a factor if he can consistently grapple with him, too.

Essentially, if this fight goes the distance, then Ankalaev is highly likely to win.

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#2. Magomed Ankalaev is no mug on the feet

Alex Pereira is arguably the most dangerous striker in the UFC right now. Not only does he have one of the most decorated kickboxing backgrounds in the promotion's history, he's also backed it up in the octagon, unlike some of his contemporaries.

'Poatan' has dispatched seven opponents via knockout to date, including Israel Adesanya, Sean Strickland, Jiri Prochazka and Jamahal Hill.

However, Pereira isn't invulnerable on the feet, either. Adesanya famously took him out with a counter-combo in their second UFC bout in 2023. And he also suffered a knockout in the kickboxing ring at the hands of Artur Kyshenko, too.

So does that mean Magomed Ankalaev could knock the Brazilian out? It isn't outside of the realm of possibility.

While he's more well-known for his grappling skills, the Dagestani is no mug on the feet, either. 10 of his career wins - including six in the octagon - have come via KO or TKO, and he's dispatched some noted strikers too, including Johnny Walker.

Essentially, while Ankalaev isn't the kickboxer that Pereira is, he's not likely to look horribly out of his depth standing, particularly as he also possesses a huge takedown threat.

And as everyone knows, in MMA, all it takes to knock anyone out is the right shot. Therefore, it wouldn't be a huge shock to see Ankalaev somehow pull off a surprise, and win a fight with 'Poatan' via KO.

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#1. Alex Pereira has never fought a grappler like Magomed Ankalaev

Alex Pereira's hit list in the UFC includes some truly great fighters, but what links them all together is the fact that they've all been widely regarded as strikers.

Sure, the likes of Sean Strickland and Jan Blachowicz hold a couple of submission wins on their ledgers, but there's definitely an argument to say that 'Poatan' has never fought a grappler by trade.

That will change if his next opponent is Magomed Ankalaev.

While the Dagestani can definitely crack on the feet, his bread-and-butter is in his wrestling, just like his countrymen Islam Makhachev and Khabib Nurmagomedov.

It should be pointed out here, of course, that Ankalaev's takedowns aren't infallible. His takedown accuracy rate stands at 31%, compared to 53% for Makhachev, for instance.

In general, though, if he gets an opponent down, they find it very hard to get back up. Against a foe like Pereira who isn't used to defending takedowns, then, it's hard to imagine him not having success.

On the ground, meanwhile, while Ankalaev doesn't have any submission wins to his name, is he likely to be more comfortable than 'Poatan', who we've never really seen grapple at all? Absolutely.

It's for this reason that many fans believe Ankalaev could be kryptonite for Alex Pereira, and all things considered, they might not be wrong.

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Despite Magomed Ankalaev's apparent advantages over Alex Pereira, there are still some reasons why 'Poatan' could beat the Dagestani.

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#2. Magomed Ankalaev is promising to stand with Alex Pereira

While a handful of great fighters like Georges St-Pierre and B.J. Penn were renowned for attacking their opponents in their own wheelhouse, that kind of tactic isn't usually smart in the UFC.

Usually, standing with a more renowned kickboxer, or grappling with a Brazilian jiu-jitsu whiz only leads to one thing - a humiliating defeat. That's why, if his words are to be believed, Magomed Ankalaev might end up shooting himself in the foot against Alex Pereira.

The idea that Ankalaev could be kryptonite for 'Poatan' tends to stem from the belief that he's got a strong enough grappling game to take out the Brazilian. However, the Dagestani seems to believe in his striking abilities so much that he's gone on record on numerous occasions - including in the social media post above - to say that he'll stand with Pereira and knock him out.

Obviously, we don't know whether this is just Ankalaev playing games to build the fight up or to draw Pereira in, or whether it really is a dangerous form of hubris. Either way, though, if he does stand with 'Poatan', he's taking a huge risk that could easily come back to bite him.

Ankalaev is no mug on the feet, but why would he look to fight Pereira in his strongest area? It's hard to say, but if he does so, then 'Poatan' is more likely to win.

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#1. Alex Pereira only needs one shot to take out his opponents

The biggest reason to suggest that Alex Pereira is indeed capable of beating Magomed Ankalaev is the fact that he literally needs just one good shot to take out his opponent.

'Poatan' is almost unmatched in UFC history when it comes to elite-level fighters with one-shot knockout power.

Not only is his famed left hook absolutely lethal, but we've seen the Brazilian use other strikes, including head kicks and flying knees, to take out his foes as well.

The most scary thing about Pereira is the fact that seemingly, he doesn't even need to land all that cleanly to dispatch someone. His knockout of Jamahal Hill was ridiculous in that it looked like 'Sweet Dreams' was simply touched and then fell unconscious.

Even against an opponent capable of grounding him for lengthy periods like Magomed Ankalaev, then, the Brazilian would still be incredibly dangerous.

Unless Ankalaev could put him away early - and his lack of submission wins suggests that isn't likely - then every time the fight goes back to the feet, he'd be in serious trouble.

To see Pereira land his coffin-nail counter left on an onrushing Ankalaev, then, wouldn't be a shocker - and could give Pereira his biggest win at 205 pounds to date.